Device for correlating an elevator signal machine carriage with the position of an elevator car



Jan. 24, 1961 F JONES ET A 2,969,128

DEVICE FOR CORRELATING AN ELEVATOR SIGNAL MACHINE CARRIAGE WITH THE POSITION OF AN ELEVATOR CAR Filed July 10, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 art/v 2,969,128 MACHINE} R CAR 1961 F. H. JONES ET AL Q DEVICE FOR CORRELATING AN ELEVATOR SIGNAL CARRIAGE WITH THE POSITION OF AN ELEVATO Filed July 10, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent DEVICE FOR CORRELATING AN ELEVATOR SIG- NAL MACHINE CARRIAGE WITH THE POSI- TION OF AN ELEVATOR CAR Filed July 10, 1959, Ser. No. 826,298

6 Claims. (Cl. 187-29) This invention relates to improvements in a device for continuously calibrating an elevator signal machine with the position of the elevator associated with the signal machine.

In elevator mechanisms various signals or functions are associated with the elevator car which, in general, are dependent upon the position of the car. These signals or functions are more or less numerous in conjunction with automatic elevators but are also operative in manually operated elevator systems, usually in a lesser degree. For instance, an elevator signal machine takes care of such factors as the car call, that is, the signal which a passenger within the elevator car gives out, usually by the pressing of a button, to have the car stop at a desired floor; the haul call pickup, that is, the signal which an intended passenger gives out while standing in the lobby to have a car stop at his floor, whereby he may board the car; the light indication which indicates to a passenger within the car that his selected floor is being approached and the light signal in the lobby which indicates that an elevator car is moving upwardly or downwardly toward his floor; the car position indicator which indicates to an intended passenger where the elevator car is in the hatch during the travel of the car and other similar signals and functions.

The signal machine performs the functions listed hereinbefore, and said machine comprises a movable carriage which is intended to move in timed relationship with the movement of the elevator car. Heretofore, electrical sys tems have been employed to associate the signal machine carriage movement with the elevator car movement, but this type of system is extremely complicated and expensive to install and maintain. Mechanical systems have heretofore been proposed, but such systems go out of phase or out of timed relationship due to many factors such as slippage, backlash, etc.

The present invention relates particularly to a system which is essentially mechanical, and is characterized by a correcting or calibrating mechanism which acts continuously to calibrate the relative movements of the sign-a1 machine carriage and the elevator car whereby said two related elements are always maintained in step with each other or in mechanical phase with each other.

Signal machines, as such, are old and well known and are characterized by a movable carriage the position of which ultimately controls the various functions enumerated. For purposes of illustration one of the typical functions of the signal machine will be described, that of correlating theposition of the elevator car with an elevator car position indicator. In view of the fact that the signal machine carriage performs or controls all of the functions, enumerated hereinbefore, simultaneously, it is to be understood that the described correlation of the position indicator with the elevator car also applies to all of the other functions of the signal machine.

Briefly described, the present invention contemplates a link in the mechanism which associates the elevator car and the signal machine carriage, said link comprising a correction motor connected through a differential gearing to the carriage, said motor operating in one direction or the other, through the control of a sensing device, in response to a departure of the carriage position from the substantially true relative position of the elevator car.

The features, objects and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and following detailed description.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view partially schematic and partially diagrammatic of the electrical circuit employed and its association with the diagrammatically shown elevator car and signal machine carriage.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of one form of the mechanism for calibrating a signal machine carriage by a correction motor driving through a differential gear mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a similar view of a modification of the invention for performing the same function contemplated by the mechanism shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a similar view of another modification.

Referring in detail to the drawings, and with particular reference to Fig. 2, 1 indicates the main drive mechanism for an elevator car (not shown), said drive having a shaft 2 which carries a pulley wheel, sprocket gear or the like 3, the wheel 3 moving in proportion to the movement of the elevator car. The reference numeral 4 indicates a conventional differential gear mechanism comprising a rotating box 5 and shafts 6 and 7.

In the differential gearing mechanism, the box carries the ring gear and the shafts 6 and 7 are connected by the usual differential pinions and differential side gears, the arrangement being such that when the box 5 is rotated shafts 6 and 7 will turn in inverse proportion to the load carried by said shafts and when one of the turning members is locked the other two will turn proportionately. In a specific instance, shaft 7 may at times be locked, in which case shaft 6 will be driven by box 5, or under other circumstances shaft 2 may be locked and shaft 7 may drive shaft 6.

Pulley or sprocket Wheel 3 connects by belt or chain 8 with pulley or sprocket wheel 9 carried by box 5 whereby when the elevator car is moved, pulley or sprocket wheel 3 will drive the box 5.

Shaft 7 is connected by a coupling 10 to the output shaft 11 of a gear reducer 12 which, in turn, may be driven by correction motor 13. Shaft 6, at its end, carries a worm pinion 14 which meshes with worm wheel 15 mounted on a shaft 16. A pulley 17 is also mounted upon shaft 16 and a belt or cable 1% is trained around pulley 17. The belt or cable 18 is also trained around a pulley 19, spaced from pulley 17, and a signal machine carriage 20 is carried by cable 18. The parts hereinbefore described driven by the worm pinion 14 comprise the movable carriage portion of a conventional signal machine. Thus, with shaft 7 locked, cable 18 will move in proportion to the mechanism 1 which drives the elevator car, but this is purely theoretical since the showing of Fig. 2 is purely diagrammatic and is over-simplified. It has been found that in practice such purely proportional movement cannot be obtained. To exemplify the function of the device shown in Fig. 2, it is assumed that the movement of the carriage 20, during operation of the elevator, for some reason or another, gets out of step with the elevator car movement. The function of the correction motor then is employed. In the present invention when the device 1 is in operation motor 13 is stationary and locks shaft 7. On the other hand, when the mechanism 1 is stationary, box 5 is locked. Under these circumstances motor 13, if actuated, can itself drive shaft 6 and, hence, independently move the carriage 20.

In general, this is the basic operation of the mechanisms shown in Fig. 2. The manner in which the correction motor 13 is driven in one direction or the other in response to an incorrect position of the carriage 20 together with the manner in which the carriage is moved by motor 13 to a corrected position will be hereinafter more fully described.

Referring particularly to Fig. 3, a modification of the device shown in Fig. 2 is illustrated. .In view of the fact that most of the parts shown in Fig. 3 are the same as those illustrated in Fig. 2, without further detailed description the similar parts will be designated in .Fig. 3 by corresponding primed numerals. In Fig. 3, pulley 9 drives pulley 21 mounted upon shaft 6' and sprocket or pulley 9, through cable 22 drives a pulley or sprocket wheel 23 mounted upon a jack shaft 24. The jack shaft 24 carries worm pinion 14 which drives cable 18 and moves carriage 20.

The operation of the device shown in Fig. 3 is similar to the operation of the device shown in Fig. 2, except that the correction motor operates upon carriage 20' through shafts 7 and box and that the mechanism 1 operates upon the carriage through shaft 6 and box 5'. Of course, directional differences in the rotation of the differential shafts must be taken into consideration but this can be done by the gear reducing mechanism 12 or by properly directionalizing the rotation of the motor 13'.

Referring particularly to Fig. 4, the arrangement illustrated is substantially the same as that shown in Fig. .2 except that the differential box is driven through one of a pair of selsyn motors. Without describing the parts in detail, double primed numerals will be applied to corresponding parts. In this form of the device, the mechanism 1" drives selsyn 25 which is connected by conductor 26 to the companion selsyn 27 which, in turn, drives box 5 through chain or cable 28. Thus, the selsyn set 25 and 27 is interposed between mechanism 1" and box 5" instead of the direct drive illustrated in Fig. 2.

As has been hereinbefore described, when the elevator car mechanism 1, l or 1 is stationary or inoperative, the correcting motor 13, 13 or 13 can be actuated. Referring particuarly to Fig. l, the mechanism 1, 1 or 1 includes an electric motor 29, which for purposes of illustration, is shown as being in circuit with a source of current 30, conductor 31 being connected to one side of the motor and conductor 32 being connected through relay coil 33 to the opposite side of the motor, the operators switch 34 being included in the circuit. Hence, when motor 29 is energized, relay coil 33 is also energized. Relay switch 35, associated with relay coil, is normally closed when relay coil 33 is deenergized but is open when coil 33 is energized. Hence, when motor 29 is in operation, relay switch 35 is open. As will be hereinafter more fully described, relay switch controls the current fed to the correcting motor '13, 13 or 13" and, hence, when open said correcting motor cannot be energized.

As another characteristic of the correction motor 13, 13' or 13", said motor cannot be energized except when the elevator car is within a predetermined restricted zone adjacent each landing floor. Hence, even though the elevator car may stop between floors and although relay switch 35 may be closed, as a result of the car stopping, the circuit to the correction motor will not be closed unless the elevator car is within one of the aforesaid zones, hereinafter referred to as a leveling zone.

The leveling zones may comprise a plurality of switches, a to f inclusive, one switch being provided for each floor and the switches being connected in parallel and being normally open. One of the switch points of relay 35 is connected by conductor 36 to one side of the parallel switches a to 7 and the other side of the switches is connected through conductor 37 to the motor 38. Motor 38 is shown as a three-phase motor and corresponds to correction motors 13, 13 or 13". Thus, one lead of motor 38 is connected in series with the parallel switches a to f and relay switch 35.

Elevator car motor 29 is connected by shaft 35 to drum 40 over which an elevator car cable 41 is carried, said cable carrying an elevator car 42 which is raised and lowered by motor 29. A cam 43 is carried by elevator car 42 which functions to close a predetermined switch a to I when the car moves adjacent each floor.

The cam 43 carried by the elevator car may determine the extent of the zone, referred to as the leveling zone, that is, the cam will function to close a predetermined switch, a to 1, when the car is within that zone adjacent a predetermined floor. Hence, when car 42 stops within a leveling zone the circuit to one side of motor 38 will be completed through one of switches a to f and switch 35.

Of course, other expedients may be employed to establish the desired leveling zones. For instance, a switch (not shown) may be carried by the car, which may be closed within a predetermined zone by cams carried adjacent the respective floors, or shaft 39 may be connected to a plurality of level zone switches (not shown) which may be actuated by gearing or cable connection to the shaft 39 which operates in proportional relationship to the movement of car 42.

A sensing mechanism 44 is also employed. The sensing mechanism 44 is connected to a pair of conductors 45 and 46. A plurality of sensing fingers 47 may be connected to conductor 45 and a corresponding number of sensing fingers 48 may be connected to conductor 46. Each sensing finger 47 terminates in a stationary electrode 49 and each sensing finger '48 terminates in a stationary electrode 56. The electrodes d9 and 5d are disposed in pairs, that is, one electrode 49 and one electrode 50 constituting a pair, there being a pair of electrodes corresponding to each floor.

A movable electrode 51 is carried by a signal machine carriage 52, the carriage corresponding to carriages 20, 20 or 20", hereinbefore described. The carriage 52 is connected to a cable 53 which corresponds to cables 18, 1-8 or 18', hereinbefore described, said cable being trained around pulleys 54 and 55, the latter be'ng driven by worm wheel 56 which meshes with worm pinion 57. The shaft 58 comprises one shaft of differential mechanism 59, shaft 58 corresponding to shafts 6, 6' or 6" and the differential mechanism corresponding to differential mechanisms 5, 5 or 5 hereInbefore described. Hence, the carriage 52 moves in timed relationship with shaft 58.

The correction motor 38 is connected to one shaft 60 of the differential mechanism 59, shaft 58 constituting the other shaft thereof. The box 61, corresponding to box 5, 5 or 5 of the differential mechanism, carries a pulley or sprocket wheel 62 around which is trained a 'belt or chain 63 which, in turn, is driven by pulley or sprocket wheel 64 mounted on shaft 39.

For purposes of illustration one function of the signal machine is shown, namely, that of driving an ele vator car position indicator in correct timed relationship With the elevator car. Since the operation of the signal machine depends upon the movement of the carriage 52, said carriage may carry an index 65 which operates over a floor indicator scale comprising floor indications A to F inclusive corresponding to floors a to f inclusive.

Duringthe operation of the device, the carriage 52 and movable electrode 51 moves upwardly and downwardly in proportion to the rotation of shaft 58. If no correction is made between the position of the elevator car 42 and indicator index 65, the movable eectrode 51 will move in proportion to the movement of the elevator car. If a correction is made, however, the carriage and movable electrode 51 will move .in propertion to the movement of shaft 58 independent of the movement of shaft 39.

The movable electrode 51 carries a pair of spaced contact arms 68 and 69 which are mutually connected to the electrode 51 which, in turn, is connected by flexible connector 70 to the opposite side of relay switch 35. The spacing of the stationary electrodes 49 and 50 from each other, and the spacing of the contact arms 68 and 69 from each other is critical, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

In the movement of the carriage 52 and movable electrode 51 with the elevator car 42, three possibilities may occur; contact arms 68 and 69 may come to rest midway between a pair of electrodes 49 and 50 and switch 35 would not be connected in circuit with either conductors 45 or 46; contact arm 68 may make connection with a stationary electrode 49, in which case switch 35 will be placed in circuit with conductor 45; or contact arm 69 may make connection with a stationary electrode 50, in which case switch 35 will be placed in circuit with conductor 46.

Thus, as the elevator car stops at a leveling zone, a floor switch, a to f, is closed. The elevator car having stopped, switch 35 is closed. And when contact arm 68 contacts an electrode 49 switch 35 is connected to conductor 45 or if contact arm 69 makes contact with an electrode 50, switch 35 is connected to conductor 46. As will be hereinafter more fully described, conductors 45 and 46 lead to a relay-operated reversing switch, indicated generally at 71 in Fig. 1.

As indicated generally at 72 in Fig. 1, a three-phase source of current supply is shown, the three-phase poles being designated L L3 and L Terminal L is connected by conductor 73 directly to motor 38. Conductor 46 is connected to a coil 74 of a relay switch 75 and conductor 45 is connected to a coil 76 of a relay switch 77.

Relay switch 75 comprises four switches designated S S S and S and relay switch 77 comprises four switches designated S S S and S Switch S is normally open; switch S is normally closed; switch S, is normally open and switch S is normally closed. When coil 74 is energized the respective switches change their normal positions. Switch S is normally closed; switch S is normally open; switch S is normally closed and switch S is normally open. When relay coil 76 is energized the respective switches change their normal positions.

Thus when switch 35 is closed and one of the switches, a to f, is closed and switch arm 69 contacts a stationary electrode 50, conductor 46 is in circuit with L and relay coil 74 is connected across L and L by conductors 78 and 79. Relay switch 75 reverses its normal position but relay switch 77 remains in its normal position. Thus, the circuit to motor 38 is completed as follows: L directly connected to the motor; L connected to the motor terminal X through conductor 79, switch S which is now closed, conductor 80, normally closed switch S conductor 81 and conductor 82 to terminal X; and L is connected to motor terminal Y through conductor 83, conductor 84, switch S7 which is now closed, conductor 85, normally closed switch S and conductor 86 to motor terminal Y. Motor 38 will then operate in a predetermined direction.

If contact arm 68 makes contact with a stationary electrode 49 of the sensing device 44, relay coil 76 will be energized, having one end connected to L through conductor 73, conductor 37, a switch a to f, switch 35, arm 68, a stationary electrode 49 and conductor 45, and the opposite end connected through conductor 87, conductors 78 and 79 to L With relay coil 76 energized the normal positions of switches S S S and S will be reversed from the positions shown but switches S S S and S will remain normal.

Accordingly, L will connect to motor 38 directly, L

will connect through conductor 79, conductor 88, switch S which is now closed, conductor 89, normally closed switch S conductor 90, conductor 86 to motor terminal Y, L will then connect through conductor 83, switch 8;, which is now closed, conductor 91, normally closed switch S conductor 92, conductor 82 and motor termi nal X. Thus the motor 38 will rotate in the opposite direction.

Accordingly, the sensing device determines the direction of rotation of the correction motor which, in turn, determines the positioning of the index 65 along the indicator scale 66.

As an example of the operation of the present invention, during initial operation of the elevator car, the carriage 52 and indicator index will move substantially in step with the movement of the car. In similar fashion, the movable electrode 51 will move in step with both the car and the indicator index. Thus, when the entire sys tem is timed, when car 42 stops, for instance at floor 0, index 65 will indicate C and the movable electrode will be so positioned as to have contact arms 68 and 69 midway between the stationary electrode pair 49 and 50, at c, the arms not making contact with either electrode. Hence, the circuit to motor 38 will be open and no corrective motion takes place.

If, however, the position of the carriage and index 65 becomes out of step with the position of car 42, for instance, if when the car is at floor 0 and the index is disposed above the scale mark C, a downward correction of the carriage is necessary. However, when the index 65 is above the scale mark C, the movable electrode 51 which moves in step with the index will also register too high and, hence, arm 68 will contact stationary electrode 49 adjacent the pair of electrodes at 0'. Relay switch 77, which is referred to as the downward correcting relay, will be actuated and poles L and L will be so connected to motor terminals X and Y as to cause rotation of the motor 38 in a predetermined direction. In view of the fact that motor 29 is stationary, box 61 will be locked and correction motor 38 will rotate shaft 58. Rotation of shaft 58 will lower the carriage 52 and index 65 relative to the indicator scale and will simultaneously lower the movable electrode 51 until contact is broken between arm 68 and stationary electrode 49. Carriage 52 and index 65 will then correspondingly coincide with the position of car 42.

If, however, after a period of operation, when car 42 stops at floor c and index 65 is positioned on the indicator scale below C, contact arm 69 of the movable electrode 51 will contact stationary electrode 50, relay 75, referred to as the upward correcting relay, will be actuated, and the relationship of L and L to motor terminals X and Y will be reversed. Hence, motor 38 will operate in the opposite direction, driving the carriage 52 and index 65 upwardly to scale mark C. Of course, the movable electrode 51 moves upwardly until contact is broken between arm 69 and stationary electrode 50.

If for some reason contact arms 68 and 69 of the movable electrode 51 inadvertently make simultaneous contact with a pair of stationary electrodes 49 and 50, no short circuit will result since the relays and 77 will function to disconnect L and L from motor terminals'X and Y. It will be noted that each normally closed switch of relay 75 is in series with a normally open switch of relay 77 and, hence, when neither relay is actuated the motor circuit is open. When both relays are energized the reversed relationship of open and closed switches result and, hence, the motor circuit remains open.

Although the present invention has been described specifically with regard to the correction of an elevator car position indicator with respect to the position of the elevator car, this constitutes but one function of the 7 movement of the carriage of a conventional elevator signal machine, and the invention is not to be limited to this specific function. Inasmuch as other functions accomplished by the movement of the signal machine carriage are simultaneously performed, the present device accomplishes a resetting of the various other signal mechanisms in conformity with the elevator car position in the same fashion as the elevator car position indicator is reset, as described.

It is to be understood that a diagrammatic showing of the invention has been set forth and many obvious unpatentable changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Hence, it is not intended that the invention be limited to the exact details shown and described except as necessitated by the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. A device for continuously correlating the position of the movable carriage of an elevator signal machine with the position of an elevator car which comprises, drive means for raising and lowering an elevator car, a normally open level zone switch actuated to closed position at predetermined positions of said car during its travel, a differential gearing comprising three difierentially movable members, means connecting said drive means to the first of said movable members, a correction motor, means connecting said correction motor to a second movable member, a sensing device including an elevator signal machine carriage movable in proportion to the movement of said elevator car, said sensing device also comprising a pair of spaced stationary electrodes corresponding to each floor traversed by the elevator car, said pairs of electrodes being spaced from each other in proportion to the spacing of the floors traversed by the elevator car, means connecting said movable carriage to said third movable member, two spaced contact arms carried by said carriage for respectively contacting one of a pair of stationary electrodes, a reversing switch connected to said correction motor, a circuit connecting said movable electrode, the level zone switch, said contact arms to said correction motor through said reversing switch to rotate said correction motor in a predetermined direction in response to the contact of a predetermined contact arm and a predetermined stationary electrode of each pair.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 including interlocking means connecting said drive means and said correction motor for rendering the circuit to said correction motor operable only when the drive means is inoperative.

3. A device for continuously correlating the position of the movable carriage of an elevator signal machine with the position of an elevator car which comprises, drive means for raising and lowering an elevator car, a normally open level zone switch actuated to closed position at predetermined positions of said car during its travel, normally open interlocking switch means connectcd to said drive means which close when said drive means is inoperative, a difierential gearing comprising three differentially movable members, means connecting said drive means to the first of said movable members, a correction motor, means connecting said correction motor to a second movable member, a sensing device including an elevator signal machine carriage movable in proportion to the movement of said elevator oar, said sensing device also comprising a pair of spaced stationary electrodes corresponding to each floor traversed by the elevator car, said pairs of electrodes being spaced from each other in proportion to the spacing of the floors traversed by the elevator car, means connecting said movable carriage to said third movable member, two spaced contact arms carried by said carriage for respectively contacting one of a pair of stationary electrodes, a reversing switch connected to said correction motor, a circuit connecting said movable electrode, the level zone switch, the interlocking switch means, and said contact arms to said correction motor through said reversing switch to rotate said correction motor in a predetermined direction in response to the contact of a predetermined contact arm and a predetermined stationary electrode of each pair.

4. A device for continuously correlating the position of an elevator car indicator with the position of an elevator car which comprises, drive means for raising and lowering an elevator car past a plurality of floors in a building, a level zone switch closed when the car is positioned adjacent each floor of the building, a difierential gearing comprising three differentially movable members, means connecting said drive means to the first of said movable members, a correction motor, means connecting said correction motor to a second movable member, an indicator index for remotely indicating the position of the elevator car relative to the floors of the building, means connecting said indicator index to the third movable member, a sensing device comprising a pair of spaced stationary electrodes corresponding to each floor traversed by the elevator car, said sensing device also comprising a movable electrode, means connecting said movable electrode to said third movable member to move said movable electrode in timed relationship to the movement of said indicator index, two spaced contact arms carried by said movable electrode for respectively contacting one of each pair of stationary electrodes, a reversing switch connected to said correction motor, a circuit conneot'ng said movable electrode and said stationary electrodes and said leveling zone switch to said correction motor through said reversing switch to rotate said COI'IECllOIl motor in a predetermined direction in response to the contact of a predetermined arm and a predetermined stationary electrode of each pair.

5. A device for correlating the positions of a car and a proportionally movable carriage comprising drive means for moving the car to a plurality of spaced positions, a difierenti'al including three diiferentially movable members, means connecting the said drive means' to a first one of said movable members, means connecting the said carriage to a second one of said movable members, reversible correction motor means, means connecting said correction motor means to the third one of said movable members, and control means for said correction motor means including a pair of spaced control members corresponding to each of the said positions of the car, said pairs of members being spaced apart in proportion to the spacing of the said positions of the car, the members of each pair being operatively connected respectively for reversely energizing said correction motor means, and contactor'means carried by said carriage for selectively contacting said control members to energize said correction motor means for operation in a predetermined direction in response to engagement of said contactor with a control member.

6. A device for correlating the positions of a car and a proportionally movable carriage comprising drive means for moving the car to a plurality of spaced positions, a differential including three differentially movable members, means connecting the said drive means to a first one of said movable members, means connecting the said carriage to a second one of said movable members, reversible correction motor means, means connecting said correction motor means to the third one of said movable members, and control means for said correction motor means including first control means actuated to operative position at each of the said positions of said car, second control means in series with said first control means actuated to operative position when said drive means is inoperative, a pair of spaced control members corresponding to each of the said positions of the car, said pairs of members being spaced apart in proportion to the spacing of the said positions of the car and being 1n series with said first and second control means, the members of each pair being operatively connected respectively for reversely energizing said correction motor means, and contactor means carried by said carriage for selectively contacting said control members to energize said correction motor means for operation in a predetermined direction in response to engagement of said contactor means References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Thurston Dec. 1, 1936 

